Preview

the principles and processes for setting executive compensation

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
627 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
the principles and processes for setting executive compensation
Describe the principles and processes for setting executive compensation?

Agency theory, tournament theory and social comparison theory are the 3 alternative theories that explain the principles and processes for setting executive compensation. Different individuals and groups participate in setting executive compensation. They include compensation consultants, compensation committees, and boards of directors; each play a different role in setting executive compensation. Executive compensation consultants usually propose several recommendations for alternate pay packages they are often employed by large consulting firms. A board of directors represents shareholders’ interests by weighing the pros and cons of top executives’ decisions. There are approximately 15 members on the board. They give final approval of the compensation committee’s recommendation. Board of directors members within and outside the company make up a company’s compensation committee. Outside board members serve on compensation committees to minimize conflict of interest. Compensation committees perform three duties. First, compensation committees review consultants’ alternate recommendations for compensation packages. Second, compensation committee members discuss the assets and liabilities of the recommendations. Third, the committee recommends the consultant’s best proposal to the board of directors for their consideration.
Under agency theory, shareholders delegate control to top executives to represent their ownership interests; however top executives usually do not own majority shares of their companies’ stocks. Shareholders negotiate executive employment contracts with executives to minimize loss of control. Tournament theory casts lucrative executive compensation as the prize in a series of tournaments or contests among middle and top level managers who aspire to become CEOs. According to social comparison theory individuals needs to evaluate their accomplishments and they do so by

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Powerful Essays

    2. A principal-agent relationships involves the owners (principals) delegating decision-making authority to managers (agents). A conflict occurs when the agents pursue acceptable levels of shareholder wealth and profit rather than a maximization of profit. They are pursuing their own self-interests. One way that the agents act in their own self-interests would be by focusing on long-term job security. This could cause the agents to limit the amount of risk taken by the firm. The firm may have an opportunity that is considered a riskier venture that could produce high profits if successful. If the venture proves to be unsuccessful, then the agent is at risk of dismissal. Therefore, the agent may avoid taking advantage of that opportunity. This may also impact decisions concerning diversification and the nature of the cash flow. The actions of the agents are impacted by their compensation package, threat of dismissal, and the threat of a takeover by new owners. In order to mitigate agency problems, agents can receive either cash compensation or long-term incentives. The issue with immediate cash compensation is that it can further promote an agent to act in his or her own self-interest. For example, agents may choose a path of diversification that will result in immediate earnings. This could inflate the quarterly earnings that are directly tied to the agents’ executive bonuses that quarter, but hurt the profitability of the company and the value of the stock in the long-run. In addition, the cash compensation could work to take away from resources that could be used in the advancement of other areas of the company in order to promote growth in the company. Long-term incentives would be a better way to reward agents in order to align their interests with the interests of the principals. These incentives include restricted or deferred stock, as well as long-term performance based payments. If an agent owned…

    • 1621 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Best Essays

    Executive compensation has been at the forefront of discussion for a long period of time. Analyzed by academics, highlighted by the media, questioned by Congress, and scrutinized by the general public, the topic warrants much debate. In the 1990’s, total executive compensation increased substantially as companies began offering stock option programs; CEO’s of S&P 500 saw an average increase of 150%.1…

    • 2571 Words
    • 11 Pages
    Best Essays
  • Better Essays

    s the overpayment of CEOs and the effects these high base salaries have on businesses. Understanding that well compensated CEOs are generally quite productive and well deserving; there are those that seem to drop the ball and the business suffers. CEOs are hired in with contractual compensation packages, which do not give stipulations to cover incidents such as decreases in stock value, company downsizing, or bankruptcy. Many argue that CEOs are not compensated enough for the pressures they endure, that they are generally they first to receive pay cuts when the company is facing financial distress, and in some cases are first to be dismissed in order to save others in the lower echelon. Because of these compensatory packages given when hired, when the company’s financial stability is no longer solid, the CEOs are still guaranteed pay increases and incentives that they continuously accept. The Board of Directors may believe that their hands are tied and still feel obligated to compensate for past performance, or feel the need for continuous compensation for the purpose of retaining the employees. Regardless of their reasoning, the Board of Directors, are under pressure to make cuts that trickle down to the average workers. I will present, and offer support for my argument, that top executive’s over compensation is unethical during times when the company is in a financial struggle.…

    • 1714 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    Cake Consulting

    • 13842 Words
    • 56 Pages

    Simmering, M. J. (2011). Executive Compensation. Retrieved October 4, 2011, from Encyclopedia of Business: http://www.referenceforbusiness.com/management/Em-Exp/Executive-Compensation.htm…

    • 13842 Words
    • 56 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Best Essays

    The purpose of this report is to review 3 different analyzed employee compensation strategies that could potentially benefit your corporation if accurately executed. As a business you must remember that Employee Compensation is key to identifying as well as rewarding your employees, for their exceptional performance and contributions to the company’s success rate overall. Due to compensation being a significant factor, you must carefully evaluate the three strategies that will be presented in this report. Incorporating a bonus structure is a widely accepted compensation strategy. It provides for an employee who receive a set salary to capitalize their earnings by being rewarded for excellent job performance. Implementing a bonus structure could result in a stable compensation strategy that most employers and all employees are comfortable with. The downside of using this strategy would be having to minimize the ability for growth in annual salary increases, which could result in moral, motivation and productivity decreases. Offering a tuition reimbursement plan is also another popular and well accepted compensation strategy. With this strategy, employees feel as if the company that they invest a minimum of 2080 hours per year cares enough about them to help them pay for a higher education degree. There are many individuals who come to work and give their all with a desire to better themselves. However, due to financial restraints they are unable to. With the implementation of such strategy, you will begin to notice more and more employees pursuing higher education. This overall provides an…

    • 3603 Words
    • 11 Pages
    Best Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Ceo Compensation

    • 1330 Words
    • 6 Pages

    Magnan, M., & Tebourbi, I. (2009). A Critical Analysis of Six Practices Underlying Executive Compensation Practices. Compensation & Benefits Review. 42-54.…

    • 1330 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    Ecco 550 Assignment 1

    • 556 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Explain several dimensions of the shareholder-principal conflict with manager agents known as the principal-agent problem. To mitigate agency problems between senior executives and shareholders, should the compensation committee of the board devote more to executive salary and bonus (cash compensation) or more to long-term incentives? Why? What role does each type of pay play in motivating managers?…

    • 556 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    There are many reasons why it is important for a person to be properly vaccinated. One reason for why it is important is so they avoid a contracting communicable disease. Another reason is so diseases will not be spread. A final reason is to avoid the death that some diseases can result in.…

    • 242 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    Executive Pay

    • 313 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Some evidence suggests that there is a direct and positive relationship between a firm’s size and its top-level managers’ compensation. Explain what inducement you think that relationship provides to upper-level executives.…

    • 313 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    Pummeled by the bind of a painful recession and furious over oversized executive compensation packages at the very Wall Street firms widely blamed for the economic chaos, they gradually distrust key establishments and individual leaders. Americans are angered at the financial services region. They believe that these institutions have rigged the game so that top level executives are rewarded substantially even when they fail. Americans want action to restore fairness to the system and get pay back in line. The variety of experts and activists of political leaders and ordinary citizens, there is a belief that executive incentives have exaggerated short-term perfor¬mance, supported unnecessary risk-taking, and failed to discipline poor performance. Many believe that incentive plans have tempted some CEOs to put personal financial interests in front of good stewardship that provides the long-term interests of their organizations (Ethics Resource Center,…

    • 1089 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    The three main goals of the compensation departments are internal consistency, market competitiveness and recognizing individual contributions. When companies set the pay for jobs they want to be consistent with pay grade in regards to the job description. Higher pay is given to jobs that have greater responsibilities and greater qualifications than jobs that have lower expectations and responsibilities. Doing evaluations and analysis of jobs you can attain consistency internally, and establish the correct pay amount for each job.…

    • 1026 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The Equal Pay Act (1963) was an amendment to the FLSA and restricts any kind of discrimination based on sex for men and women working at similar jobs and in the same…

    • 813 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    In the history of modern economies, from the late 1800s to today businesses have faced ethical challenges regarding compensation for executives and its relation to job performance. In response to major economic crises during the 20th century, the United States enacted broad-based legislation measures as attempts to prevent what were seen as ethical challenges and agency conflicts surrounding both performance management and executive compensation. To understand the current issues facing businesses and regulators, it is important to look at three of most significant legislative acts Congress has passed. The Securities Exchange Acts of 1933 and 1934, as well as the Sarbanes–Oxley Act of 2002 represent legislative interventions regarding corporate financial accounting toward the goal of curtailing the ethical challenges and the conflict of agency problems that can arise from performance management and executive compensation. Yet even after these laws were enacted, ethical conflicts can and still do arise when it comes to the compensation for employers and executives.…

    • 1620 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Saari, L. M., & Judge, T. A. (2004, Winter). Employee Attitudes and Job Satisfaction. Human…

    • 1642 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Compensation Management

    • 3303 Words
    • 14 Pages

    Compensation administration is a segment of management or human resource management focusing on planning, organizing, and controlling the direct and indirect payments employees receive for the work they perform. Compensation includes direct forms such as base, merit, and incentive pay and indirect forms such as vacation pay, deferred payment, and health insurance. Compensation does not refer, however, to other kinds of eployee rewards such as recognition ceremonies and achievement parties. The ultimate objectives of compensation administration are: efficient maintenance of a productive workforce, equitable pay, and compliance with federal, state, and local regulations based on what companies can afford.…

    • 3303 Words
    • 14 Pages
    Powerful Essays